The Predator Within
by scottsman
Summary: A Stranger with a secret comes to Pickford, a young man who may not be what he appears to be, it is the beginning of strange goings on in Pickford. What will happen to Phil and Keely as they try to unravel the truth.Please read and review
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_**The Drifter**_

A lone figure could be seen walking up the road. The Stranger appeared to be about sixteen he had brown hair and brown eyes and stood about six feet tall. He wore a gray shirt underneath a red and gray coat, a pair of sneakers that looked like they were on their last leg. Slung over his shoulder was a brown backpack that had obviously seen a lot of use. The backpack had a monogram on it that read Macleod He stop to read the sign of the town he was about to enter. The sign said,

**PICKFORD**

**Pop: 24,153**

Adjusting his pack the stranger continued on his way. The only sound on the quiet back road was the sound of his footsteps. Night was falling as he arrived in the Pickford town square. He paused in the town square just long enough to read the sign that advertised a motel on the next street. As the stranger rounded the corner he came face to face with a leather-clad street punk who was armed with a switch blade knife. Before any words could be spoken the punk drove the knife into the man's chest. Instead of going limp the young man just stood there looking at the punk. Suddenly the stranger's eyes began to glow an eerie red. He grabbed the punk and hurled him down the alley. The would-be assailant flew some 40 feet, bounced off the wall of a building and landed in a garbage dumpster. The stranger then took a hold of the knife handle that was jutting out of his chest and pulled the knife out. The open wound closed up and disappeared in a less than a second. The glow slowly faded from the stranger's eyes, he zipped up his coat, then turned and walked on down the street as though nothing had happened..

The stranger soon arrived at the hotel that he had been looking for. It was a dingy rat-trap of a place but with a gentle sigh of resignation he started toward the office. Suddenly he was touched on the shoulder. He turned to see a girl about his own age. She had styled blonde hair, blue eyes and a wide smile.

"You don't want to stay here this place is a known hangout for the dope dealers in the area." She said, "Oh by the way my name is Keely what's yours," Keely paused to breathe for she had said all of that in one breath. The stranger's countenance softened into a gentle smile.

"My name is Jason," he said in a voice that had a smooth bass timber to it. Keely reach into her purse and took out the fifty dollar bill she had bee given for Christmas.

"Here," she said pressing it into the man's hand, "This should get you a room at the YMCA for the night and a decent meal." Before he could say yea or nay she was gone. Jason stood there looking at the fifty dollar bill in his hand for a few seconds. Finally he smiled and pulled a picture from his pocket. The picture showed Jason sitting on a finely craft oak porch next to a white haired, bearded man.

"People like her make our life's work worthwhile don't they, Grandpa." He said softly then putting the picture away he opened his wallet. Inside it was a gold clasp that was filled almost to capacity with hundred dollar bills. Jason looked up at the rat trap hotel and smiled again,

"Well," he said to Himself, "after what that young lady Keely did for me in giving up her shopping money and all I guest I owe it to her to get a more decent room tonight." With that he turned and walked on down the street toward a Holiday Inn.

Later that night Keely Teslow and Phil Diffy stepped out of her front porch to sit I the porch swing.

"Hey Keel," look at this, "Phil pointed to a folded piece of paper that was fastened to the screen door with a paper clip. Keely unfolded the paper and her fifty as well as two crisp one hundred dollar bills feel out into her hand. There was a note on the paper that said simply:

**_Keely,_**

_**Thank you for your kindness,**_

**_Jason_ **

**TBC Please Review**


	2. Ill Wind

**Chapter 2**

**_Ill Wind_**

Phil Diffy paced back and forth on the porch as Keely stood there with the money in her hand.

"Who is this guy, Jason?" He said

"I don't know, really," said Keely, "he looked to be a guy about our age who was just down on his luck."

"Well," said Phil, "he must not be that down on his luck if he is able to give you $200."

"Yeah," said Keely, "I smell a big story here!"

Meanwhile…

It was dusk when Henry Barnes assistant district attorney walked toward his office with a reading the open case folder in his hand. He reached down and unlocked the door with out taking his eyes off the file. Then opening the door he stepped inside. Walking around his desk he plopped down into his cushy desk chair and reached for a pen. Suddenly he stopped short with his had half way between himself and the pencil cup.

There in the corner of the office on the right side of the door stood Jason who was leaning casually against the wall with his hands in his pocket.

"Nice office, Barnes," he sneered

"What do you want," said Barnes trying to hide the fear in his voice.

"You know what I want," growled Jason walking toward the desk.

Suddenly Barnes grabbed for something in the half open top drawer of his desk. Jason saw it and with blinding speed connected a perfect wheel kick with Barnes' Jaw a 38 caliber pistol dropped from his hand Jason's hand shot out and caught the gun before it hit the floor.

Barnes slumped down in his chair unconscious. Jason calmly stuck the gun in his belt and scooted Barnes away from the desk. Reaching into the inside pocket of his coat Jason pulled out a syringe that was half full of a blue fluid. Pulling Barnes' shirt back he injected the fluid into the base of Barnes neck. Returning the Syringe to its hiding place he began to rummage through the papers that were on the top of the desk. After several seconds he picked up a small piece of parchment with ancient writing on it.

Just then he heard the sound of voices coming down the hall and immediately he knew that it was the two night watchmen. A low almost inaudible growling sound came from Jason's throat. Turning he calmly walked toward the corner of the office farthest from the door pulling down on a piece of molding on Barnes' desk as he went immediately a hidden panel on the wall opened revealing a hidden elevator. Smiling to himself he turned to look at the unconscious man in the chair,

"You're so predictable," he said, "but thanks for the info it was a pleasure doing business with you." With that he turned and walked into the elevator. The elevator descended into an underground tunnel that ran under the street. Soon Jason could be seen standing on the opposite street corner watching as the rescue squad responded to the call that they got from the night watchmen.

The next day the papers were buzzing with the news that Assistant D.A. Henry Barnes had been found in his office that morning slumped down in his chair in a coma. Keely Teslow was all over the story at least as close as a school reporter could get to it.

"I can see it now," she said staring into space as Phil was adjusting the position of the camera for her newscast, "Pickford, town of danger and intrigue. Where nothing is as it seems."

"Keely, don't you think that you are letting your imagination run away with you?" said Phil as he fired the camera up again.

"No," she said, "First this mysterious boy who pretends to be poor but isn't comes to town and then the assistant D.A. is found slumped over his desk in a coma. There has to be a connection and I'm going to find it."

"My, Keely-is –going- to-get- me- in-trouble sense is tingling." muttered Phil as he untangled an extension cord.

"What did you say," said Keely narrowing her eyes at Phil

"Oh I said I wonder how I'm going to find the three pronged outlet in this rubble!" said Phil quickly.

Jason entered his hotel room at the local holiday inn, he yawned and stretched then removing his shirt he laid down on the bed and closed his eyes. He was almost asleep when his cell phone rang. He pulled out of his pocket opened it and held it up to his ear.

"Well," said an impatient girl's voice on the other end of the line.

"It's here." Replied Jason quietly. Then hanging up he closed his eyes.

**TBC Please Review **


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